In football as in politics, the French prefer to play it their way

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had a mixed reception at Paris Saint-Germain despite his successBenoit Tessier/Reuters

When Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished playing his last league match for Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday, rap music blared from loudspeakers and fireworks filled the night sky.

The Sweden centre forward grabbed a microphone and suggested replacing the Eiffel Tower with a statue of himself. The idea is not so absurd, given Ibrahimovic’s aura after four years in Paris. Ibracadabra, as he calls himself, is not just a footballer. He is a symbol of the thrusting, self-confident, international society that France cannot quite bring itself to become.

Paris Saint-Germain is my local club. It used to be an authentic French experience. I remember watching 11 angst-ridden players lose one-nil to Toulouse — an own goal — in front of gloomy fans who fought after the match (fascist hooligans in…

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